Lawyer: Dentist in I-88 fatal crash has incurable brain disease

The Naperville dentist who authorities said caused a fatal accident when he was driving the wrong way on the Reagan Memorial Tollway last month is suffering from an incurable brain disease that may have played a part in the incident, his attorney said Tuesday.

William A. Howe, 43, has Huntington’s disease, a progressive condition that can affect judgment, his lawyer, John Curnyn, said following a hearing for Howe in DuPage County court.

“I have a concern about my client’s fitness to stand trial and this is based on medical and psychological issues,” he said. “And I have concerns about his mental state at the time of the crash.”

Howe remains hospitalized following the Aug. 6 collision on the tollroad near the Morton Arboretum. According to report, Howe turned his red Porsche into the oncoming lanes of traffic before speeding up and running into a Toyota Corolla carrying a 75-year-old Pakistani immigrant and his daughter.

There have also been reports that Howe was tossing money from his car in the moments before the crash that killed Sherali Shalwani and his daughter, Farzani Ali, 38.

Huntington’s “may have contributed to the cause of this event,” Curnyn said.

Curnyn, who said he has not yet received copies of the police reports, said he could not address speculation that Howe may have been attempting to kill himself.

Howe was diagnosed with the disease several years ago, and that diagnosed played a role in his decision to close his dental practice, Curnyn said.

Howe, who is facing two counts of reckless homicide, is continuing to recover in a hospital from a fractured hip and leg, his attorney said.

Huntington’s is a genetic brain disorder, and people with the disease often show signs of depression or impaired judgment in its early stages, according to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said the case against Howe is proceeding, although he said it’s too soon to determine what impact, if any, the revelations about Howe’s health would have.